Aphria has chosen their primary vendor/ contractors for their Part IV expansion in 2017.

Aphria Inc., one of Canada’s medical cannabis leaders located in Leamington, Ontario confirmed their choice of primary vendor/contractors for their Part IV expansion project planned for later this year.

Thermo Energy Systems Ltd of Leamington, Ontario has been chosen to provide and build the greenhouse structure including highly sophisticated systems to deliver precise internal environmental conditions specifically tailored for cannabis production. The more than 16 acre expansion will be fitted with highly advanced robotics and automation systems designed and provided by AgriNomix LLC of Oberlin, Ohio USA. AgriNomix leveraged its close working relationship with Dutch growing automation experts Bosman Van Zaal, Flier Systems and Indigo Logistics to provide the robotics, automated plant moving systems and cutting-edge tracking and tracing software that goes well beyond Health Canada’s regulatory requirements. Aphria’s extensive plant growth trialing throughout 2016 allowed AgriNomix and Thermo Energy Systems to work in concert with Aphria experts to design the optimal environment for plant growth regimes in a highly automated manner. The facility is expected to utilize robotic planting machines, cutting-edge camera sorting software and specially designed ebb and flood moving grow benches that traverse throughout the different growing environments without human touches. Aphria’s clear intention to be the “high yield – low cost producer” is clearly evident through their choice to apply these progressive growing technologies.

Board approved a $137 million capital project, known internally as Part IV expansion (“Part IV”). The project will increase Aphria’s capacity under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”) from 300,000 square feet to 1,000,000 square feet. In addition to the 1,000,000 greenhouse growing square feet, the Company’s infrastructure will grow to over 250,000 square feet, necessary to service the expected 70,000 kilograms of eventual annualized harvests.

The project includes 700,000 square feet of Leamington standard, Dutch style greenhouses, 230,000 square feet of infrastructure, including new Level 9 vaults, automation for all of the greenhouses, processing areas, warehouse facilities, a 15 MW power and heat co-generation facility and security consistent with ACMPR standards. Aphria anticipates completion of Part IV within 12 months, Health Canada approvals within 4 months of completing the expansion and first harvest within 4 months after Health Canada approval.